Round the Bend
by Silvestria
Summary: After the bazaar, two of Mary's desire of suitors drive off together. But what on earth do they talk about?


_A/N: Written for _**thefoodofloveismusic** _on tumblr._

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"Nice car," commented Gillingham as the car crunched in a circle round the forecourt and up the drive.

"Thank you." Blake shot him a quick look before returning his attention to the engine. "She's reasonably new. The old one gave up the ghost in March, poor thing."

"You always did prefer to be behind machinery than on a horse," replied his companion, amused.

"More predictable," he replied and slid smoothly from second into third gear. "Fewer nasty surprises and less chance of being bucked off at the first fence."

He glanced up into the mirror, his eyes catching on Mary as she stood in front of the house, her hands at her side, her fingers flexing and clutching restlessly at her dress, watching as she turned abruptly on her heel and went back into the house. He looked away.

Gillingham was silent a moment before saying in a studiously careless tone, "So you prefer the predictable. I'm glad of that."

"When it comes to transportation from A to B, yes I do. I certainly hope you're not trying to make the comparison it sounds like you're making."

"I don't want to compete with you, Charles."

Blake hesitated before replying, perhaps seeing more angles to the situation that his friend did. Then he said in a very pleasant tone, "It's going to be a very long drive if you see everything as a competition. Unless you're suggesting a fight to the death at I spy?"

Gillingham laughed. "I hope we haven't stooped quite that low just yet!"

"I like I spy. I happen to be exceptionally good at it."

"Is there anything you're not exceptionally good at? Animal husbandry, children's games… Is there no end to your surprising talents?"

He spoke without noticeable bitterness but Charles shot him a quizzical glance. "You know me well enough to be able to answer that, I think."

His friend stopped himself from replying and frowned, looking away. For a few minutes they drove in silence. They came to the end of Downton park land and turned off the drive onto the road towards the village.

"So what brought you to Downton today - apart from the obvious?" asked Blake eventually as he slowed at the first houses in the village. "I understand you hadn't intended to come."

"No…" replied the other slowly and stopped. He considered and gave a mental shrug before continuing, "It was a queer thing actually."

"Oh?"

"You know my valet, Green - he died."

"I'm sorry." Blake was not sure where this was going and spoke out of mere politeness.

"He tripped in a crowded street in London and was run over by a bus."

"What a terrible way to go!"

"Rather. Hellishly awkward too until I find a replacement… Anyway, that's not what was strange about it. The thing is, Mary came to London the other day and spoke to me about Green."

"_Mary_? About your _valet_? All the way to London?"

"Yes, and very seriously too. She told me to sack him."

Charles' brows knitted together though he did not take his eyes off the road. "Mary asked you to sack your valet. Did she say why?"

Tony smiled in a way that tried to suggest he thought nothing of it but it only resulted in making him seem more anxious. "She said he had done something so terrible if I knew I would not hesitate to sack him."

"She didn't elaborate?"

"No."

Charles glanced across at him and said nothing. Gillingham did not seem to like the silence and continued after a moment, "So when I heard about his death and considering what Mary said, I thought I'd better come down and tell her. I just thought it was… well, queer."

Blake made a noncommittal noise of agreement.

"What do you think?"

"Me? Oh… Divine retribution getting it right for once. I shouldn't waste energy worrying about it. Spend that on finding yourself a new valet or, better still, learn to dress yourself!" He grinned slyly.

Tony laughed tolerantly before sighing. "I suppose you're right. I just wish I understood what happened. It's hard not to imagine things. I don't suppose Mary said anything to you?"

Charles opened his mouth to reply and then shook his head. "No, this is the first time I've heard anything of your valet from you or anyone else. And to be perfectly honest, considering he's dead and it sounds like he was an unpleasant piece of work, let it be the last!"

"Of course; why would you be interested? But you must see why I can't help being curious about it all."

Blake did see, perfectly, but unlike Tony, he was not inclined to share the content of his conversation with Mary at the bazaar, especially considering the unwilling possibilities about his friend that he was now being forced to entertain.

"Anyway, what brought you to Yorkshire? I heard something about a conference in Whitby from Lady Grantham."

This was safer territory and Charles laughed out loud, grateful for the change of subject. "Oh yes, the Whitby tenant farmers… Wonderful organisation, really!"

"I'm glad you had a good time," replied Gillingham, his turn for polite, slightly bemused, interest. "Better than me at any rate. Was it a productive conference?"

Charles stared out front and swallowed a smile. "Reasonably. I admit that nothing was decided definitively today but negotiations have been entered into and I have hopes for a positive conclusion."

"Do you think you'll be back then?"

"Oh, I intend to see it through to the end," he replied smoothly, with a bland smile aimed directly at his companion, his eyes crinkling in private amusement.

"At least you have somewhere to stay."

"That is the great advantage of Downton being so close to Whitby," said Charles gravely.

"I wish I had such an excuse."

"You don't need one. You're a friend of the family."

"I suppose so. I wish…"

He trailed off and Charles rolled his eyes, not caring for sentimental daydreaming. It was bad enough when he fell into its seductive embrace himself, worse when he had to listen to his rival indulge in it.

"I spy with my little eye," he began firmly, pressing the accelerator down, "something beginning with T."

Gillingham sighed. "Are we really going to play this game?"

"Something beginning with _T,_" he insisted.

"Tree?"

"Oh, you _are _good at it after all!" crowed Blake in mock awe. "Your go!"

"I spy with my little eye something beginning with C."

"Inside or outside the car?"

Tony was pointedly silent.

"Ah. I see. It is the car."

"I suppose this is a draw then," he replied with a reluctant smile.

Charles grinned back. "Only for the first round. It's a long journey and I have every intention of beating you!"


End file.
